Birthday Dinner Surprise
by batbaby
Summary: Prim takes Katniss out to dinner. Little did either know that Katniss' old school crush owns the restaurant. Rated M for future chapters.
1. Chapter 1

I ran across this cute story of someone out to dinner with their sister and how the chef gave her a sampling of all the desserts and it was followed by someone asking it to be turned into an Everlark story. Hopefully this works

Birthday Dinner Surprise

Prim had promised Katniss that she'd take her out for her birthday, but she wasn't expecting it to be such a nice, modern, farm-to-table kind of place, more like pizza and maybe followed by a Hostess cupcake or something. She should have known when Prim insisted that she wear a "cute" outfit that her little blond sister was up to something. So Katniss put on her nicest dark green blouse and denim skirt that was received by Prim with a giant smile.

"So where are we going anyways, Prim?" The raven-haired woman asked as she sat in the passenger seat of her sister's Jetta.

"It's a new place; I think someone you went to school with owns it or something. I heard about it when I was talking to one of the other interns." She answered, glancing at the GPS system that was giving her the directions to this "new place."

Katniss wasn't big on surprises, but her sister loved to give them regardless, and given that it was her birthday, she wasn't about to pass up a free meal. She rolled her silver eyes and smiled, "Someone I went to school with?"

"Yea, I don't remember the name, but if he owns it, then we'll likely see his name up somewhere, right?"

Katniss shrugged her shoulders and thought about all the guys from her high school, the list of possibilities pretty short from what she remembered about most of them. "Well, if you think I'll like the food, then that's all that matters."

Prim flashed her pearly whites to her big sister as she made a turn onto a small road, all the trees lit by dozens of small lanterns spaced out between them. It had a certain appeal to it that was for sure. Surrounded by trees and a massive field filled with wildflowers, it was stunning in the waning light of day.

They pulled up to an almost full parking lot on freshly paved gravel that led to a huge red barn, which was just the entrance. Prim smiled again as they got out, Katniss taking in the view. It was almost too pretty to be a restaurant. They walked down the giant stoned walkway to the barn door, following a few other people that had arrived at the same time. Katniss whispered to her sister, "How expensive is this place, Prim? It seems awfully remote and way too pretty to be a ten buck kind of dinner."

Prim giggled, "Don't worry about it, Catnip."

Katniss wrinkled her nose at the nickname given to her by her ex Gale. And Prim knew she hated it too. Yet, as soon as she got inside of the barn, a young, pretty red-haired woman asked if they had a reservation, to which Prim answered "yes" to and they were escorted to the other side of the barn that led to a giant tent covered sitting area. The tables were set up from two people to ten, none of the furniture matching but it gave it a more homey feeling. The tables and chairs weren't sitting on grass though, it was as if the place had been covered in giant concrete tiles to make it easier to walk on and set up said chairs and tables. It was unusual and perfect and the smells emitting from another barn were delectable. Whomever it was that she went to high school with had certainly done well for themselves judging by few empty tables that were left.

The red-haired woman showed them to their table, which was facing the setting sun and giving off a beautiful orange glow to the white tent. She handed them their menus and stated that "Glimmer" would be right with them.

Katniss stifled a giggle to the name and looked at her menu, her eyes widening. In a hushed but almost angry, urgent tone, she said, "Prim! This is way too expensive! You shouldn't have brought me here!"

"Chill out, Katniss, I've got it covered and believe me we won't be doing this again for a long ass time, so just figure out what you want and be happy about it. Please?" Prim made her blue eyes go wide, which she knew was torture to her sister and it worked. "And get a drink too, you need some relaxing."

Katniss wrinkled her nose at that but smiled nonetheless. When "Glimmer" came around, she seemed like most any other waitress in that she had her dirty blond hair pulled back in a ponytail, a crisp white shirt, and a black skirt covered by a small apron. "Good evening ladies! Can I tell you about the specials tonight?"

Prim and Katniss both nodded, Katniss drooling at the mention of quail and venison. Prim knew her sister enjoyed eating game food, as she had hunted when they were younger and lived out near the forests in their childhood home in Virginia. The drink menu was just as eclectic, with martinis made with blood oranges or citrus and rosemary, so she decided to chance it and try the citrus-rosemary one, which earned her a raised eyebrow from Prim, who ordered a white wine of some sort. Glimmer smiled happily at them, telling them she'd be right back with said drinks and get their dinner order.

"I can't believe a place like this exists so close to the city," Katniss remarked as she looked out onto the field of tall grass and flowers. She looked down at her menu, taking notice of the name on it; Mellark's Meadow. "Mellark? That's who owns this place? Didn't they have a bakery back at home or something? God, I remember an older one, he was a wrestler, but I don't know if he cooked."

Glimmer returned with their drinks, setting them down carefully. "Alrighty ladies, have we decided?"

"I think we want to start with the soup of the day, what was it again?" Prim asked, as she looked over her menu again.

"Well, there's two actually, a carrot and apple soup, which is one of my favorites really, and a butternut squash soup that's delicious too honestly. Peeta doesn't know how to make anything bad, I swear," she giggled.

"Peeta! That's his name!" Katniss cried out, covering her mouth almost immediately. She blushed and mumbled, "Sorry."

Glimmer tapped her shoulder, "Oh honey, that's fine. You know Peeta?"

Katniss looked over at Prim and then up at Glimmer, "I went to school with him, so I know of him. We didn't really hang out in the same circle or anything."

"That's great though! I'll let him know you're here; he loves it when people he might know get to come here. I know he didn't grow up here and all that, so it's a real treat for him." She was about to turn away when she turned back, "Sorry, I should probably get your orders first though, silly me. And your name, so I can tell Peeta that you're here."

Prim smiled and Katniss felt like she was on fire. She didn't want to admit how cute she thought Peeta had been in high school, not to her sister and certainly not to his waitress. So she ordered instead, "It's Katniss and I'll try the carrot soup. And I'll have the venison, medium rare please?"

"Oh cool, Katniss, you know how to order game meat." Glimmer leaned down and whispered to them, "We often have to 'suggest' how to order certain meats; it's nice when we don't have to honestly. And you honey? What can I get you?"

Prim placed her order of the butternut squash soup and roasted quail in an orange marmalade glaze. Glimmer thanked them and took her leave. Prim leaned over the table a little, to get closer to Katniss, "So….Peeta?"

Katniss took a sip of her drink, which was tart and flavorful, and strong. Apparently Peeta didn't use the cheap alcohol at his establishment. She nodded, feeling a blush rise on her neck and up her cheeks. Prim's eyes widened, "Oh my God! You liked him!?"

Katniss looked around, hoping no one heard, reprimanding her sister, "Shut up! It was forever ago and he's probably all fat and crap, owning a restaurant and stuff."

Prim giggled and her eyes seemed to widen even more, "Well, what if he didn't?"

"What?" Katniss turned just in time to see a tall man with curly blond hair headed their way. He was definitely not fat; in fact he was one of those men who only got better as they got older. His hair was a little bit of a darker blond than she remembered, his jaw strong, a bright smile accompanied by the bluest eyes she had ever seen. He wasn't just cute anymore; he was the most handsome man she had ever seen. His shoulders were broad and straight, biceps peeking out of the plain white shirt he wore underneath a deep orange apron. She felt her face get warmer and warmer as he got closer and she realized he was smiling at them.

Just as he neared their table, she stood up, not exactly sure what to expect, but somehow the arms that enveloped her for a tight hug, the smell of cinnamon and a smoky scent filling her nostrils, was not unwelcomed. She wrapped her arms around him, seeing the look of shock on her sister's face, because Katniss was not a touchy-feely kind of person, and smiled into Peeta's shoulder. He pushed her back a second, smiling, his bright white teeth perfect almost blinding it seemed. "I couldn't believe when Glimmer said you were here."

He took a step back, letting go of her, which Katniss felt an immediate longing for again. "Sorry, I was so excited and I'm a hugger, sorry." He was rambling and blushing and somehow that made him even more attractive to her. He looked down at the other woman at the table, "I'm so sorry! I'm Peeta, the owner of, well, this."

"I'm Prim, her sister," she answered, shaking his proffered hand. "I wasn't at school with you two, at the same time anyways."

Peeta looked at her with a smile and then back at Katniss, looking at her up and down, though trying not to be obvious about it. "You look almost the same as you did in high school. Your hair is actually down."

Katniss grabbed a loose curl, winding it through her fingers, her nervous trait blaring loudly, her sister smiling widely watching the two of them. Katniss scoffed, "Yea, well, Prim told me I had to dress up for tonight, and warned me that if I wore a braid, she'd cut it off. I can't believe you remember that."

"Sit down, sit down! I'm sorry," he replied, kneeling down at their table while Katniss took her seat again. "Look, don't worry about anything tonight, it's all on me, you'll be my special guests. I just need to know two things: any allergies and any foods that you absolutely hate?"

Prim let out a loud giggle, making Katniss blush even more and shoot her an angry look. "Katniss eats anything and everything. I'm allergic to soy on the other hand."

Peeta's blue eyes shimmered as he looked from Prim to Katniss, "Perfect, then I will get started on your first course. You two have some time tonight, to fully enjoy what I may have in store?"

"No early rotations for me tomorrow, Katniss?" Prim asked, knowing full well that Katniss has nowhere to be on a Sunday morning.

Katniss smiled at Peeta, to which his only got fuller, "No, we have plenty of time."


	2. Chapter 2

Katniss was on her third martini, enjoying tender pieces of venison and fingerling potatoes when Prim looked over at her sister, a coy smile playing on her face. Swallowing the food in her mouth first, she questioned, "What? Is something in my teeth?"

"Ha! I have never seen you like this! You weren't even like this with Gale and you two were together for like…..five years!" Prim exclaimed, happily putting some of her quail in her mouth as Katniss turned red yet once again.

"That's not…entirely true. At least I don't think so," she giggled, giggled! at her sister. "Gale was…..well, he was a nice guy and all, but Peeta, you didn't know him, obviously, but in high school, he was….he made sure no one was ever left out, said hi to everyone, was just always…good to people. And he was a wrestler and he helped his dad out at the bakery."

"I thought you couldn't remember him?" Prim retorted.

Katniss rolled her gray eyes, "Yea, well, I may have lied about that. How was I supposed to know he'd actually done something with his life, actually did the thing he said he'd do senior year?"

"Did you two ever….date?" Prim bit her lip, hoping to hear some juicy untold story, but instead got,

"Nah, I mean, I was always busy with you and school and dealing with mom and hunting, he had the team and the bakery. I mean, I know he had girlfriends and stuff, but I didn't go on a real date until Gale."

"That seems wasteful. Well, maybe you could now though." Prim countered, stuffing more food into her mouth, frowning when she realized that was the last of it on her plate.

"Gale wasn't wasteful…..not really. Besides, I'm sure Peeta is happily married and has kids and the whole thing by now. I mean, what woman would pass up a man that looks like that and can cook like this?" Katniss said, looking up at Prim, whose eyes were once again very wide.

"Cook like what?" Peeta said, as he took their empty plates. "Are you two ready for another course? And I'm hoping the empty plates I've been getting are a good sign?"

Katniss nearly choked on her own saliva as Peeta turned directly to her. Clearing her throat, "Yes, yes, it's all wonderful. Way too much though, I mean, you don't have to do this all night."

"Oh please, I hardly ever get to cook anymore, I usually pass it on to my sous chef, but this is special, I mean, it's your birthday right?" He asked, his blue eyes shining in the candle light throughout the tent.

"I wonder who told you that." Katniss replied, narrowing her eyes at her sister, who just shrugged and smiled. "But, yea, it is. And thank you, it's all so good."

"Good, then I'll be back in a bit with the next part." He gave her a crooked smile, one that sent a warm tingle down her spine as he took away their empty plates.

"You should ask him out." Prim stated once Peeta was out of ear shot. "And before you say anything, I didn't see a ring or even a tan line of a ring, so there's that going for you."

Katniss rolled her eyes as she took another sip of her martini, her third. She never drank more than two drinks, but they were so good and the food was delicious. She felt fuzzy and warm and happy. She hadn't felt like this in such a long time. Glimmer came by to check on their drink situation, filling up their water glasses.

"I don't know who you are, but Peeta is having so much fun back there. It's been awhile since he's been the one who's cooking directly for anyone." She exclaimed as she watched Katniss smile shyly, "You must have known him really well to bring that out in him. The last time he did this was when his family came in."

Katniss pointed at Prim, her smile fading a bit, "See? I told you he was married!"

Glimmer waved her hand, "No, no, no, his mom and dad came in with a couple of their friends. Peeta is as free as can be now that he got rid of his ex finally. God, she just would not get the hint! I better shut up now, I'm sure he'll be back out shortly."

"See? I told you he wasn't with anyone, now you can ask him out," Prim retorted excitedly. Katniss rolled her eyes again and took another drink, letting her sister continue in her silence. "Look, you haven't dated since Gale and that was like, what, a year ago?"

"That's not true; I've been on dates since then!"

"Any second dates though?" Prim asked matter of factly.

Katniss shrugged and then shook her head, "No, they weren't worth a second date. All two of them."

Both women laughed as Peeta came up with two more pretty white bowls in his large hands. He smiled down at them, setting a dish in front of each of them. "I'm sure that's something I don't want to know about?"

Prim covered her mouth, trying to stifle the laughter, which wasn't working, but Katniss had straightened up in her chair and looked at him kindly, "Nah, just something stupid. So what do we have here? Is this risotto?"

Peeta's smile widened and kneeled down to talk to them, "Yes it is. Zucchini and pea risotto, hopefully nice and light since it is technically spring and all." He looked at Prim and then Katniss, his joy evident in the flush of his cheeks and all over his smile. "So, how do you two like it?"

Katniss pointed to the field to the side of them and then the food, "I'm not sure which part you're talking about, but I love all of it. When did you open this place up? And how did you come up with this and the menu and….."

"I think these are the questions you should ask him on your date." Prim interrupted, wincing when she felt Katniss' foot hit her shin and sticking her tongue out in response.

Peeta looked at Prim and then Katniss, his bright blue eyes going wide. "Ummm, what date?"

"The one Katniss doesn't have enough guts to ask you on," Prim answered for her sister, receiving another blow to the shin. "What? You obviously like him; he clearly is having fun bringing you all this food, why not?"

"Prim, you can't just….dammit….."Katniss turned in her chair to face Peeta straight on, "She's not lying, I do like you. But I figured you were busy with a family and then this restaurant and all that…"

"She was making excuses not to do it." Prim stood up before she could get kicked again, "Where's the bathroom, I've been drinking a lot."

Peeta's face was a deep pink, but he cleared his throat, and without looking at Prim, he answered, "Back where you were led in, on the right hand side is the women's restroom."

Katniss watched her sister walk away before refocusing on Peeta's stare, which was actually not making her uncomfortable. With a nervous giggle and twirling a curl around her finger, she said "Well, I guess that cat's out of the bag."

"So she wasn't kidding?" Peeta asked, his voice lowered, almost husky in its tone. His eyes had deepened, one of his hands on the table to steady himself and the other on his knee, twitching a bit as if he didn't know what to do with it.

She opened her mouth once, bit her lip, to which he responded with a lick of his full bottom lip, and she answered, "No, she wasn't. But I would understand if you can't. I mean, a place like this must take a lot of maintenance and all. Plus, I mean, I, you could be with someone…."

"I'm not," he answered quickly, watching her mouth again as she bit her bottom lip once again. "I mean, yea, it is busy here but I'm closed Sundays and Mondays, everyone needs a little break. Plus, it gives me time to make any changes to the menu and talk to some of the local farmers."

"Oh." Katniss didn't know how to continue with her train of thought, getting lost in his ocean eyes and the timber of his voice.

"So, I'd be free tomorrow night, if you wanted to get together."

"Oh…..oh! Yea, yes, that would be fine." She scrambled, remembering how to talk. He smiled at her and placed a gentle hand on her knee, squeezing it, sending a thrill up it and warming her all over. Clearing her throat again, she could see Prim making her way back to the table, "Where did you want to meet?"

"Well, actually, if you don't mind terribly, since I'm kinda picky about where I eat now, maybe here again? Say….6:30?"

"You can't cook for me again, that would be unfair." She shot back just as Prim got to the table.

"No, you cooking for him, that would be unfair." Her little sister claimed as she sat back down, earning an evil look from Katniss and a snicker from Peeta.

"It's fine, really, besides, you can help me and maybe learn some things. You used to hunt, right? You probably already know how to make most of the bigger items on my menu." He stood up, his eyes glowing, happiness evident. "I have to get back to the kitchen, work on your last course….dessert." He winked at her and Katniss wrinkled her nose, but in shyness this time. When he turned to walk away, she couldn't help but watch. He had long legs, a bit of a limp, she assumed from kneeling, but a tight, round butt that any woman would kill for.

"Hate to see him leave, but love to watch him walk away?" Prim chuckled, watching her sister ogle the chef. Katniss threw a small of bread that had fallen onto the table. Prim laughed again and then took a spoonful of risotto. After finishing the bite in her mouth, she claimed, "Hell, he can cook, that's for sure. I think this is my favorite part of dinner."

"You said the same thing about the quail and the ceviche he brought out." Katniss reminded her.

"Whatever, like it matters." Prim and Katniss ate their portions of the latest dish, savoring every morsel of it. Peeta had made sure that everything he brought out was in smaller, almost samplings of his menu. Katniss wasn't sure if it was already on the menu or not, but it had all tasted so good and she was excited about what he would bring out for dessert. "So, what are you going to wear tomorrow night?"

Once again, the dark-haired woman rolled her eyes at her sister, "Does it matter? You won't be here to comment anyways."

"Yea, but you need to show off for him, this was just us, well, it was intended to be a girls' night out. Though, I get the feeling that he won't care what you wear as long as you show up." Prim winked as she finished the risotto on her plate.

"Prim! Get your mind out of the gutter." She reprimanded, "It's a first date, who knows if there'll be a second."

"Gimme a break, I didn't go to the gutter, you did." She took a sip of her wine, "Besides, I think there will be a second date."


	3. Chapter 3

Peeta came out with an assortment of dishes balanced carefully on his arms, Glimmer following him with utensils and water. The place was almost empty, just Katniss and Prim and two other tables, whose occupants were clearly in awe of all the attention the women were receiving. He gently set down a long oval dish down in the center, it being filled with four scoops of what looked like ice cream, then gave each of them a small round plate with three pieces of different kinds of cakes, and another small square plate to each, with two truffles and a strawberry dipped in both white and milk chocolate on a stick.

"Oh my God, Peeta, what is all this?" Katniss asked, licking her lips at the tempting looking last course. With the way he had been bringing out the food, good intervals between each course, she wasn't near stuffed and knew if he had made bigger portions, she wouldn't have had any room for these. She was thankful he knew what he was doing.

He pointed first to the ice cream, "Going left to right, we have a blood orange gelato, then salted caramel, next to coconut, and finally a cinnamon vanilla. Then, on your round plates, there is my infamous chocolate cake with champagne icing, carrot cake with cream cheese icing because there's no way of improving that combo, and a piece of my lemon cake. Lastly, we have a hazelnut chocolate truffle and a raspberry filled one, with white chocolate drizzled on it and tuxedo strawberries. I hope you like it."

"Holy crap! Where do I start?!" Prim exclaimed, picking up a spoon and a fork, not sure where to begin.

Peeta laughed, "I suggest the gelatos, cleanse your palette a bit, but really, it doesn't matter. It's your ending to dinner."

Katniss looked up at him, "This was way too much Peeta. But damn if I'm not going to have a bit of all of it!"

He laughed again, touching her hand that was on the table. It didn't escape Prim's eye either, as she took a small scoop of the caramel gelato, her eyebrow rising. "Good, I'll leave you two with your desserts, would you like any coffee? I should have asked before I brought it out, sorry."

"No, no, I'll be up all night if I do that," Katniss laughed it off. She was pretty sure she'd be up late anyways, thinking about the chef and his hands. Prim shook her head, taking a gulp of her water. Before he left, Katniss grabbed his hand, which he smiled at, "Thank you, Peeta. This is really wonderful."

His smile was so genuine and when he answered, she felt so satisfied, "Believe me, it was all my pleasure."

She smiled in return and he walked back to the barn in which the kitchen was set up. Glimmer made sure their waters were filled before she left, filling the other patrons waters as well. Katniss dipped her spoon into the blood orange gelato first, letting it sit on her tongue for a moment before swallowing it, "Oh….my…God! Is there anything that he makes that doesn't taste good! I've never had food like this before!"

"You're gonna have to give him a blowjob tomorrow night, this food was too good."

"Prim!" Katniss chided as her sister laughed, reaching for a different gelato. Her younger sister just shook her head. Katniss let it go, mainly because she knew Prim wasn't near stopping and she wasn't going to totally throw that idea out of her head just yet. Instead she focused on the remaining treats in front of her. Where to start, where to start?

By the time Peeta came back, the only thing left was the little mint sprigs on a couple of the plates. With dark blond eyebrows raised, he jokingly asked, "Liked it?"

"I'm not sure who you were actually trying to impress, but I can tell you this much, I'll be telling all of my doctor friends about this place!" Prim proclaimed. "And not just because they can afford it either."

"Jeeze, Prim, that wasn't tacky at all." Katniss quipped, leaning back into her chair and rubbing her stomach. "How is it we ate all that food and I'm not even stuffed? Peeta, this was amazing, all of it."

"Good, I'm glad you both liked it. Prim, I prefer it when people come here by word of mouth. And I mean, if you want to put a good word in on Yelp, I wouldn't mind that either." He replied with a wink to the blond woman, who smiled back. "Umm, Prim, if you wouldn't mind terribly, can I take Katniss away for just a moment? We'll be back in a few minutes, I promise."

"Well, if you promise….." Prim said laughing, getting up and walking towards the entrance barn again. Turning around before she got very far, "Hey, can I get the check, I still have to pay."

"No, you don't. Tonight was completely on me." The good-looking owner claimed. When Prim and Katniss looked like they were about to argue, he continued, "Next time you two come here, you can pay. But tonight's on me."

Prim almost started to complain, but Peeta waved his finger at her, shutting her down. So, she instead headed towards the barn again. He put his hand out and Katniss slipped hers into it. It was warm, calloused; she knew he'd worked hard for a long time. She stood up and let him guide her to the field near them, where it seemed he was heading towards the trees that skirted it.

"How did you find this place? I mean it's not far from the city but not exactly isolated either." She asked, in awe of how the moon played in the shadows of the branches overhead. He stopped just inside the forest, where they could see the tent and tables just fine, but they were slightly hidden by the thinner trees in front.

"Well, I moved into the city, looking to expand my dad's bakery actually and I did, I opened one in the city, but I wanted something else, so I left one of my brothers in charge of that one, while I worked to find someplace to open a full-fledged restaurant. But that's not why I brought you over here. I mean, we can talk about all that tomorrow night, right?" He questioned, pulling her hand up to his lips and gently placing a kiss on her palm. Katniss felt as though her heart skipped a beat and a throb at her center.

How was someone who had been so hardcore in wrestling in high school, who was so clearly talented in the kitchen this delicate and downright sexy? She took a step forward and not saying a word, wrapped her other hand around his neck to pull his head down as she stood on her tiptoes and kissed him. She wasn't sure what had come over her, just that she wanted to feel his lips on hers. Lips that were firm yet soft slightly wet because he had just licked them prior to her doing this, a faint taste of spearmint on his breath. Yet, it was the smell of him that intoxicated her more; cinnamon, a smoky wood, soap, all of it all him. And she knew he had been running around the kitchen, yet somehow, he still smelled so fresh. All this she noticed as his arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her closer, his body heat blending with hers, his tongue slipping into her mouth as one hand tangled into her long dark hair.

When she pulled back, Katniss was lightheaded, but splendidly so. She had never been kissed like that, and she was the one who started it! Peeta's blue eyes were slightly glazed but a deep azure, there was enough light that she could see them wonderfully. He kept his hand on her waist; maybe he could tell she was whoozy, a good testament to his kissing skills. Katniss raised her fingers to her lips, looking up at him while she did so. "I….that was…..wow."

Peeta chuckled and pulled her in for a hug, a strong, tight hug, nuzzling her neck as he did so. "Then you're definitely coming back tomorrow?"

Katniss smiled, happy as could be, "Oh yea….."


End file.
